Nigel, can we begin by talking a bit about the three new signings you’ve made this summer and what they’ll bring to your squad this season?
I’ve said it before, when we’ve done our own press, but I think they bring a fresh outlook. Our squad definitely needed some freshening up and those three players have all had really good seasons at their previous clubs and we’re just pleased to get them in.
Kane, he crosses so many balls. His assists last season were about 15 or 16, something like that; he’s an offensive player and very ambitious.
Kal has a wealth of experience, he’s a very good communicator, very versatile too but he comes into really play at centre-back. But we’re very pleased to get him.
Mark is a talented lad with an exceptionally good engine; his ability to make runs at high-intensity, he’s got good capabilities.
All three of them are ambitious. And then on top of that, we’ve signed Timm (Klose) and I’m really pleased to have him back this season. So it has a bit of a fresher feel, it’s good for the players who are already here to see some fresh faces. And maybe we’ll do some more business.
The fact you’ve signed them early as well, and for the start of pre-season, is that important too?
Well, it is for us as staff, definitely. Because they’ve been here from day one so they got an opportunity to work with their new teammates, we get a chance as staff to bed in principles as play. As you’ve seen this morning we did quite a bit of work on patterns of play, pretty simple stuff in many ways but they’ve fitted in very well already.
In terms of outgoings, Kasey Palmer and Robbie Cundy left. On the promise we deal in fact and not speculation, have you had any interest in any other players?
If there’s been interest there’s nothing concrete so, for me, that just remains speculation and you know my thoughts on that. I don’t really comment too much on speculation. There may be more departures, we have to wait and see.
A lot of that is driven by the players themselves and we’ll just see what happens. But it would be good to make one or two more changes, for sure.
Han-Noah, the fact he’s here for the start of pre-season, is that a positive? Does that suggest he could well still be in the building some the start of next season?
I don’t think I’ve ever said anything other than, if he stays here I’d be really happy. But I’m also conscious of the other side of the argument and that is in an ideal world we don’t want players to run their contracts down. Especially when we have invested a lot of time and money in players.
The ideal solution, if Han-Noah stays, is that he signs a new deal. That would be the outcome that I would prefer. And if not, I’m sure the speculation about him leaving will continue.
I try and keep my thoughts very very simple. You probably noticed today, I don’t waste a lot of energy on dealing with stuff that is either negative or a hindrance. For me, the players themselves will in many ways dictate their own futures. If players are here, I’ll utilise them, if I feel the necessity to that.
Han-Noah is a really good person as well, I hope we can find a solution that is satisfactory for all parties, that is what I’d really like.
Antoine is one of the most positive people I know at Bristol City. It’s a setback he’s injured at the moment but how do you anticipate his return and recovery over the next few weeks?
The scan suggests there may be a bit more positive news but I don’t really want to put a timeframe on this one; he may miss the start of the season. But, apart from that, at the moment, it’s more about we’ll have to be a little bit patient with it.
He’s a player that has attracted a lot of attention in terms of speculation, again, but we would love to keep all our best players.
We’re all rooting for Nathan Baker. Obviously, we respect there’s stuff you may not wish to reveal at the moment but is there any update on him?
The only thing I will say on this one is, I think I should manage people’s expectations that we don’t expect to see him in the squad this season. In terms of making comments about timings or statements, I’m not going to make any further statements but it’s very, very unlikely that we’ll see him.
How’s Ayman Benarous?
In very good spirits. Working hard. He’s dealing with it in a very mature way and I think - not one of the benefits - but he is spending a lot of time with more of the senior players, just because treatment rooms are one of the hubs where the activity is during the working day.
He’s getting to know his teammates a lot, lot better. He will come back from this and he’ll still be a very positive player.
I enjoyed watching Joe Williams out there training, getting the tackles in. How do you manage him for the season ahead?
With a sense of humour, sometimes. Joe trains in very much the same way he plays. He’s very, very fit at the moment and hopefully that will remain the case all season.
Joe would really benefit from having an even more complete season. Last year, he was available for longer periods than I think we all seem to remember - around 70 per cent - but it didn’t feel like that for him.
All in all, when he’s fit and available, our points return when he’s in the side is considerably higher than when he’s not playing so clearly he’s a very important player for us.
There will be a million and one twists and turns for the season ahead. Outsiders seem to be ignoring City, not talking much but inside the club there seems to be a lot of optimism - you look at the season tickets sold - what are your hopes and expectations?
I want us to maximise what we have. Last year, one of the big frustrations I think for everybody was the frustrations at the lack of consistency because there were times when we were very, very good and there were times that we were the opposite of that, we were poor. So I think consistency is something that proved to be very elusive last year.
That’s one of our aims this year, to be a lot more competitive and if we are… we scored 62 goals last year and our forward players scored 75 per cent of our goals. We conceded too many goals from crosses and too many from set-plays so we made it hard for ourselves. We know where we have to improve.
Hopefully the signings we’ve made will help us and the players already here are another year further down the line with more experience and looking to make improvements. It’s not just about the new players, it’s about the development of the players that we have.
What we are very keen here is developing a team and it doesn’t happen overnight and it’s been a bit of a frustration but I think we’re moving forward.
I’m hopeful that we’ll be in and around the promotion race.
Going back to the signings, can you talk about the process of how they were recruited and at what point did you identify someone like Kane as a target?
It changes, it can differ, if I’m honest. Our recruitment is always keeping tabs on players and then there’ll be recommendations and we’ll decide whether we go for them or not. But, of course, it’s more complex than that because you have to also factor in the club’s situation - clearly, one of the big… not problems, but the way we have to work at the moment, we need to reduce the wage bill as well. That then puts different either limitations or makes you look in different areas.
We’ve signed two players from lower leagues but that doesn’t mean that they’re not capable, at all. I think in the past, some of the spending that has been done, we’ve paid significant fees for players - and that’s not saying they’re not good players - and we are currently not in a position to do that.
So how we construct the squad and how we develop the team, needs to be done with a slightly different touch. But that’s why collaboration is very, very important. We’re not really in a position where we can afford to speculate too much; we’re not going to go out and make a number of signings just because we need bodies in the building, it’s not about that.
One of the main aims is to try to find players who will, firstly, make us better at the moment but, who, hopefully will develop and be able to take us to the next level too.
When I say it in those terms, some people might say they can’t see it happening but that’s why it’s such a complex process to get right. But it is also important, as I’ve pointed out, is it’s good for the players here to see some fresh faces.
It’s also, I think, very important for our fanbase to see us trying to make positive changes. So put all those statements and comments together and it’s complex.
They’re obviously all different players and different personalities but something that unites them, at least on the face of it, is that they can all play multiple positions; is that something you very consciously looked at this summer?
It was more about trying to find solutions to areas of the side where we’ve not been particularly good at. One of the most difficult positions to always try and fill is the goalscoring one but, of course, we had last season and hopefully they will perform well again this season, players who will be able to score goals.
The reason we weren’t as successful last season as we would have liked to have been is down to our inability to hang onto a lead or to keep clean sheets, but that’s a collective thing. The additions that we’ve made, I think Kal is a very important signing for us, just because of his composure, his game understanding. Yes, he’s versatile but I think he will add a lot of knowhow and ability to organise. That’s something the players we currently have will benefit greatly from.
They (the new players) talk about meeting you and they say part of their decision was formed by that. How are you pitching the club to them?
In a very honest way. Which is, we have ambitions to be in the Premier League. But I don’t guarantee anybody that they’re going to play. I’m not somebody who spins a yarn but I also think this is a really good club for players to come to and develop. Because one of the things that I like to be a part of is a positive environment. That’s one of the key messages.
I don’t want to set the bar low, I don’t want to be just hoping that we have a slightly better year than last year, I want to be in the promotion race. People will write you off but I’m not bothered. I know what the squad is capable of. I still know where we need to improve but we’ll do it at the pace we’re able to. Not at the pace everybody desires because that’s not really possible.
I think the squad is in a good place. Fitness-wise, from when I first came to the football club to now… day and night. You’ve watched training, they are looking in really good nick. But it’s not just about your eyes seeing it, it’s the stats and all the technology we use to measure performance and the conditioning. Players have made big shifts.
For instance, somebody like Rob Atkinson. When he joined us halfway through pre-season, it was difficult for him to get up to the pace of others. But he still had a really good start to the season, not so much in the middle, but he finished the season well.
He’s come back in pre-season this year in a better condition again. It stands to reason that if you can make improvements in terms of physical output and durability, it means performance has greater scope for the development of the team in terms of the ability to play high-tempo football.
Do you have a number in your head of how many more players you’d like to sign?
I suppose that depends on if there are more outgoings. To a certain extent it will be about that but it may be two or three players.
Without outgoings?
Not necessarily. The financial aspects may dictate that. I don’t want to paint a picture, we’re not in financial difficulties. What we have to do is manage our situation with a realistic and sensible touch, and that’s the bottom line.
I’ll be the blocker more often than not, than the hierarchy, in terms of whether we do deals or not. Because if deals become too expensive I’ll just say no, we’re not doing it. Because I don't want to go down that route again.
I would like us to have an element of equality amongst the squad but I’d never begrudge people earning good money. But we have to have a slightly different approach to what we’ve had in the past, for lots of different reasons. That’s just where we are.
The concept of equality is interesting because there are some who were signed in 2019 who are on very, very good contracts that in 2022 look even bigger and are unsustainable…
It’s not their fault.
No, and I wouldn’t say ever that but how much will that drive what you try and do in this window?
It won’t be my priority. It’s a consideration. I’ve not been told by the club that I have to move players on. So, if there are departures it will be a football decision, as much as anything.
It is a consideration. Clearly we have to get to a point where we’re not out-spending what we’re bringing in because then that means you have to sell players to break even. What I would like, and what we would like to do, is develop a squad; so, keep your best players.
We’ve got a squad with value now. We have players that other people would quite like, so they have a value.
But their value to us is what they do out there on that green rectangle, not on how much somebody is going to pay for them.
That is a shift in where we are. We want to retain our best players, we want to develop the team, so that when we are successful and get to the Premier League, that we’re not changing it all again. That we’ve got players who have made the transition. We have a younger squad, a fitter squad and, generally speaking, that’s the way to build a team.
Tyreeq Bakinson wasn’t in training, has there been any development in terms of his situation?
No, not really. He’s here but he’s not training with us at the moment. Ipswich have decided that they don’t want to take their option on him. So we’ll be looking to find a solution to that.
On Han-Noah, has the situation moved at all?
I’ve had a couple of conversations with him already. The offer is still on the table for him. As I’ve already pointed out, the ideal solution would be for him to stay but sign his extension. And that’s what we would like.
We have to protect our interests but the conversations I’ve had with him so far are along the lines of, I don’t think any differently of him. And he has value to the squad.
He gives energy and aggression and he’s a popular player. But business and emotion don’t always fit together.
I have to remain realistic about it but I think it’s clear from what I’ve said that him staying and signing would be the best solution.
Has your stance changed on loans in regards to additions to the squad?
Look, my stance on loans is, that if you have looked at my history at different clubs, I have utilised it a lot.
I don't honestly think the culture within the club was strong enough to have too many loan players. Because to have loan players come in and be successful you need quite a clear identity already.
I'm not ruling out loans at all, far from it. We've been in contact with a number of clubs in terms of availability to take players on loan. But, again, it's not just about filling spaces, it's about getting the right players. It's something that we've explored, and we will continue to.
Are they Premier League clubs?
Yes.
With the training camp, is it just a case of you're going and you're taking this squad that you want for the whole of the season or is there anyone missing?
We'll take youngsters. The whole idea of us going is for the players to be together and to build an atmosphere but also when we've got one or two injuries, so like Ayman and Antoine won't be going.
We'll take some youngsters to fill the spaces because we need enough players to have 11 vs 11s and you need to factor one or two extra players as well. It will be a chance to continue with the conditioning.
It will be pretty hot out there but it's more about being together, we're doing double sessions morning and afternoon but there you can do double sessions differently. So we'll do a morning session and then we'll do an early evening session and that means there's time to do other stuff in the day too.
A change of scenery is good. We're basically living together so that's good and all those types of things build relationships and also, if we were here for five or six weeks in preparation too, it would be boring. It would.
You probably noticed today, I've not had much involvement with the coaching today. I don't want the players to be bored of my voice by the time the season starts. It's really important you get variety, it's important that there's clarity in the message and when you spend time together on the training camp it's important team-building time.
Like I've said, the change of scenery in itself is always good experience.
You've said you spoken to a few players whose futures might be away from the club at this training camp, are there players that perhaps, you have told them their futures belong elsewhere that can force their way into your plans?
Well, maybe but it doesn't matter. While the players are at the club we will utilise them.
They are contracted to the club and they are professionals. So outside of that, I don't really see the necessity to overly justify those types of situations.
When players leave, they go with our best wishes, it's not normally a personal thing. It's just about how we move forward and sometimes the players profile, the way that we play might not suit players so if we are evolving as a team it stands to reason that some players may not fit into that style of play. So some players can be at the club for too long and fresh faces are important.
Alex Scott is away on international duty, is it a testament to the club that he's part of that team with plenty of Premier League academy players and he's starting?
He's just a talented lad. I don't know if it's a testament to anything. We recognise he's a talent, His breakthrough season was pretty exceptional; to play 38 games in a Championship season is quite impressive.
He was on the periphery on the back-end of the season before. I think he only came to us in March of 2021, so he’s only really been a professional footballer for a short period of time.
I think it’s also important to try and manage people’s expectations on young players. My expectation of younger players is that second seasons can be more difficult sometimes.
I don’t want people all of a sudden to expect him to be better and better all the time, but there is a possibility he will be better all the time, which is why people are talking about him.
READ MORE
Bristol City midfielder forced to train with U23s as Ipswich Town decline option to sign him
Steve Lansdown delivers his Bristol City verdict for 2022/23 ahead of notable anniversary
Nigel Pearson delivers Nathan Baker update with defender's City future in doubt
Bristol City's transfer priority takes a turn but signing a striker will prove a difficult task
Bristol City have the easiest start to the new season among their Championship rivals
SIGN UP: For our daily Robins newsletter, bringing you the latest from Ashton Gate
